Darkness Within
by timewyrm
Summary: Many generations after Firestar, the four clans become three: AdderClan, MidnightClan, and ScratchClan. This is the story of LizardStar's, ScratchClan's fierce leader and decendant of the great ScratchStar, grandchildren: Buzzardkit, NightKit and Honeykit
1. The Clans

**These are the Clans/Cats in my story:**

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**MIDNIGHT CLAN**

**LEADER** Kinkstar - dark tabby tom with fur sticking out at all angles.

**DEPUTY** Frogspot - sleek pale brown tom with darker flecks.

**MEDICINE CAT **Sunspark - pale ginger she-cat.

**WARRIORS**

Froststreak - pale gray tabby tom with white stripes.

Snowfoot - white tom with one black leg.

Barkpelt - dark brown tabby tom.

Apprentice, Scarletpaw

Rosefur - dark ginger she-cat.

Amberleaf - golden-colored she-cat.

**APPRENTICES**

Scarletpaw - dark ginger tabby she-cat.

**QUEENS**

Bluefrost - pale gray she-cat. Is nursing Snowfoot's kits: Jadekit (fluffy bluish-gray tom) and Whitekit (small white she-kit).

**ELDERS**

Lilacheart - once pretty cream-colored she-cat with pale brown paws, tail and face, and faded blue eyes.

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**ADDERCLAN **

**LEADER** Wolfstar - large shaggy-furred gray tom.

**DEPUTY **Nightclaw - black tom. Apprentice, Applepaw

**MEDICINE CAT** Whisperfang - white tom with gray flecks.

**WARRIORS**

Moonshine - gray tabby she-cat.

Fishscale - slim pale gray tom.

Apprentice, Hawkpaw

Yellowflower - pale ginger tabby she-cat.

Bloodpelt - ginger and white tom.

Apprentice, Molepaw

Sparrowtooth - dark brown tabby tom.

**APPRENTICES**

Hawkpaw - brown and tortoiseshell tom.

Applepaw - small ginger she-cat.

Molepaw - pale brown tom with white paws.

**QUEENS**

Spiderberry - tortoiseshell she-cat.

Goldenstream - pale ginger she-cat. Is nursing her and Sparrowtooth's 2nd litter: Birdkit (pale brown tom) and Flamekit (dark ginger tom).

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**SCRATCHCLAN**

**LEADER** Lizardstar - dark brown she-cat with black ears.

**DEPUTY** Steeltail - gray tom with a darker tail.

**MEDICINE CAT** Dapplewing - pretty white she-cat with black patches.

Apprentice, Berrystripe

**WARRIORS**

Mallowbelly - black tom with a white underbelly.

Blackthorn - black tom with a white throat and paws.

Apprentice, Foxpaw

Mintwater - pale gray tabby she-cat.

Copperstone - reddish-brown tom with green eyes.

Apprentice, Oceanpaw

Fawnleap - brown she-cat with darker flecks.

Lightwhisker - very pale ginger tabby tom.

**APPRENTICES**

Berrystripe - cream-colored tabby tom.

Oceanpaw - pretty dark brown tabby she-cat with big blue eyes.

Foxpaw - pale brown tom with a white underbelly.

**QUEENS**

Scarredfall - black she-cat with many scars. Is nursing Copperstone's kits: Buzzardkit ( reddish-brown tabby

tom), Nightkit (long-furred black she-kit w/yellow eyes) and Honeykit (small pale ginger tabby she-kit).

Whiteleaf - white she-cat with a brown spot on half of her face. Expecting her and Steeltail's third litter.

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**OTHER CATS**

Asia - white she-cat with brown and black patches that is carrying kits. Lives in the twoleg light nest in Midnightclan's territory.

Jumper - black tom with white paws and a brown underbelly. Lives in the twoleg light nest in Midnightclan's territory.


	2. Chapter 1

**first chapter of the DARKNESS WITHIN series... enjoy!**

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**NIGHTKIT**

Nightkit lowered her body into a crouch and slowly stalked her prey. She carefully stepped over a twig and then she felt the moment was right, so she pounced. She landed right on top of a small ball of honey-colored fur.

"Nightkit, get off of me!" The ball of fur mewed.

"Sorry Honeykit," She meowed as she tumbled off, "I was pretending to be father again"

"Well congratulations, you caught the tiny, whiney prey called Honeykit," yawned a voice, that she recognized as her brother, Buzzardkit's voice. Honeykit glared at him with her yellow eyes for a moment, and then stood up to lick off the dirt on her pelt. Buzzardkit got up and stretched them meowed again "Anyway, even if you tried Nightkit, you'll never be as good of a hunter as Father"

"don't be such a doubter Buzzardkit" Honeykit mewed as she ran between Buzzardkit and Nightkit, who were two paw lengths apart, glaring at each other ready to fight.

Honeykit squeezed inside of that space, she was only half of her brother and sisters size so it was not that hard.

"Good morning" their mother, Scarredfall, grunted as she carried a mouse into the nursery.

Nightkit and Buzzardkit quickly forgot about fighting as soon as they saw the mouse and ran over to Mother, trampling Honeykit in the process.

Nightkit pounced on the mouse then took a bite. Then Buzzardkit pushed her out of the way to get a mouthful as well.

"Isn't today the day that Oceanpaw and Foxpaw become warriors?" Honeykit asked as she was, once again, licking the dirt out off her fur.

"Yes," Mother meowed, surprised, and then asked, "How do you know?" Nightkit and her brother both turned their heads at Honeykit and waited for an answer as well.

"I overheard Berrystripe and Dapplewing talking about it" Honeykit mewed in her cute little kitten voice.

"Honeykit, you know it's not alright to-"

"All cats of ScratchClan come join me under the Watching Cliff for a clan meeting" Lizardstar yowled, interrupting Scarredfall.

_I can't believe that Honeykit got out of trouble again_, Nightkit angrily thought.

All three kits tumbled out of the nursery and into the clearing with their mother not far behind. Nightkit sat next to her brother and sister with their mother and father, Copperstone, sat behind them. She looked at the cats at the front of the group. There was Steeltail and Whiteleaf, Oceanpaw and Foxpaw's parents as well as Mintwater's, smiling from ear to ear. Mintwater was sitting proudly next them waiting for her kin to become warriors and get their warrior names, and join her and their parents in the Warriors den. Behind them was the medicine cat, Dapplewing, and her apprentice Berrystripe.

"Cats of ScratchClan, it is time for two apprentices to gain the rank of Warriors," Lizardstar yowled with Foxpaw and Oceanpaw sit next to her. "Foxpaw," he flinched as his name was called first, " and Oceanpaw," Oceanpaw looked up at Lizardstar with her big, round eyes, "you have trained hard these past few moons and it is my great pleasure to give you two your warrior names."

"Oceanpaw, do you swear to protect your clan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do" Oceanpaw meowed, breathless.

"By the power of Starclan, your new warrior name shall be Oceaneyes, the clan admires your curiosity and intelligence"

_Because of her bright blue eyes_, Nightkit thought.

"Foxpaw, do you swear to protect your clan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Foxpaw meowed, puffing out his chest.

"Then by the power of Starclan, your new warrior name shall be Foxwhisker, the clan admires your bravery and encouragement in battle,"

"Oceaneyes! Foxwhisker! Oceaneyes! Foxwhisker!" the clan chanted.

Nightkit and her siblings charmed in with the clan, but Nightkit suddenly stopped as she saw a pair of yellow eyes staring at her through the bushes. She froze and stared at the yellow eyes. She could see a mouth of sharp teeth and claws as well as a brown tabby pelt, almost like a tiger. The cat smiled at her and meowed, "come with me Nightkit,"

"Who are you?" she whispered, but just before he answered her Buzzardkit bumped her.

"Who are you talking to?" he asked.

She looked back at the bush and found that the mysterious cat had vanished. "No one," she sighed and shook her head. _Impossible_, she thought, _there's no way that is possible._

**please review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Here is chapter 2, this one is slightly shorter than the first. **

**Thanks for the help Mysterious Miracle! :)**

**BUZZARDKIT**

"_Who are you talking to?"_

"_No one"_

Buzzardkit watched as his sister, Nightkit, shook her head. There was something in her eyes that scared him. He could see in her eyes that she was scared, but there was something else, something that he couldn't put his paw on.

But suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by Berrystripe, the medicine cat apprentice, who had just leaned between him and his other sister, Honeykit, to whisper something in her ear. Everyone knew that Dapplewing, the medicine cat, was retiring and becoming a elder but only Buzzardkit knew that Berrystripe had chosen Honeykit to be his apprentice.

"Hi, Berrystripe," He meowed.

"Oh, hello Buzzardkit," Berrystripe meowed, slightly surprised, "how are you?"

"Good I-" Buzzardkit started but was pushed into the dirt as Foxwhisker pushed his way through the crowd with Oceaneyes not far behind him.

"Hey!" Honeykit mewed, trying to sound tough.

'sorry' Oceaneyes mouthed as her brother rolled his eyes and kept walking.

"With a mother like Whiteleaf and a sister like Oceaneyes, I wonder how Foxwhisker became such a jerk," Berrystripe murmured angrily. Buzzardkit remembered that Honeykit had told him something about Foxwhisker and Berrystripe being best friends a long time ago. Then they grew apart when Berrystripe decided to become the medicine cat apprentice instead of continuing his warrior training, and Foxwhisker started to hang out with Blackthorn and Mallowbelly.

"Well, see you guys later," he half-smiled then went back toward to the medicine den where Dapplewing was waiting for him.

Buzzardkit sighed and turned around to find that Nightkit was no longer next to him. He stood up and looked around camp. From where he was, she didn't seem to be in camp at all. Suddenly a tongue licked his ear, trying to calm him. He looked up to see his mother's green eyes and scarred-filled face. He shuddered, remembering the story of how his mother had gotten those scars as well as her warrior name, Scarredfall.

A rustle behind him made him jump. It was Nightkit. She shook her long, black fur and walked over to him with a 'don't tell anyone' gaze.

"Hey," Honeykit mewed, bouncing over.

"Hey Honeykit," she smiled, her yellow eyes still had that something in them, that something that made Buzzardkit shudder.

_What is going on with my dear little sister, _he thought, _she has never acted like this before…_

All of a sudden something over his shoulder caught his eye. Something that strangely calmed him. It was movement in the bushes and, what seemed like, a flame-colored yet starry pelt.


	4. Chapter 3

**i would hav had this in sooner but our power's been out and we had a flood... but still here it is! thanks to the two people who have reviewed it!**

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**Honeykit**

Honeykit laid by her mother, Scarredfall's paws, watching her two siblings different expressions and studying their every move. Nightkit seemed to be scared and kept looking over her shoulder, as if she was being watched. But her brother, Buzzardkit, seemed to be in the opposite mood, chest puffed out with a determined look in his eyes especially sense he disappeared behind bush near the nursery when he thought no one was looking.

She sighed, something wasn't right and she knew that it had to be bad. Honeykit had a knack at sniffing out when something was wrong with her siblings or friends, that was one of the reasons she was picked to be Berrystripe's apprentice. She smiled at that thought, she would be six moons in seven sunrises and Dapplewing was retiring in five sunrises.

Suddenly a brownish-red pelt, that Honeykit realized was her father's, rushed into the clearing with Mintwater and Mallowbelly close behind, all three had worried expressions on their faces. Nightkit and Buzzardkit both ran toward father but Scarredfall stepped on their tails, stopping them and whispering, "Get in the nursery!"

Honeykit felt Buzzardkit push her and Nightkit toward and into the nursery, his mind no longer on whatever had distracted him before. Nightkit hissed at him but he ignored her and kept going. When they were finally in the nursery, and the other Queen Whiteleaf left, Honeykit spun around and spat, "What in the name of Starclan is wrong with you two?"

"Nothing," they both meowed at the same time with clenched jaws, not making eye contact with each other.

Honeykit shook her head, "your lying!" They were not behaving like themselves. The Nightkit and Buzzardkit that she knew would have been curled up together by now, trying to think of a way to find out what was going on, not lost in their own little worlds and avoiding each other.

Nightkit looked at her with a clearly fake expression on her face, "What are you talking about Honeykit?" her big fluffy tail rested on Honeykit's back, "We are not lying and we are fine"

Honeykit looked over to Buzzardkit, and by the look on his face she could tell that just like her he didn't buy what she said either but yet he went along with it, "Yeah Honeykit, calm down" He looked at her with his leaf-green eyes and whispered to her calmly, "Nothings wrong"

"Everything's wrong," she murmured to her self, then slowly hissed to them, "I .Don't. Believe. You."

Buzzardkit opened his mouth, but quickly went against what he was about to say when, all of a sudden, Whiteleaf walked in.

"Everything all right?" her smile was fake and the spark in her eyes that every cat loved, was gone.

"Yes," they all meowed simultaneously while not breaking the glares between kits. Honeykit felt anger and rage at her siblings, something that she hand never felt before. Sure there were plenty of times that they had trampled her, but this was different. Somehow, she could tell that this may be the last time for a long while that she would talk to her siblings. Until, at least, they were back to normal but something told her that they would never be normal again.


	5. Chapter 4

**Ok, this chapter is very short, but it is on Nightkits thoughts on today and reveals who the mysterious cat was in the first chapter. **

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**Nightkit**

Nightkit could not sleep, the day had been too much and her mind just could not settle down. It raced through everything that had happed today: Oceanpa-no, Oceaneyes and Foxwhisker getting their warriors names, the mysterious cat that had summoned her, the fight her and Buzzardkit had had with Honeykit, and what the whole clan was worrying about although her mother would not tell them. Whatever the problem was, it had to be big.

Probably a fight with another clan or something, she thought, I could get Honeykit to snoop around and find out, she was good at that, after she and Honeykit made up.

She made her body into a ball with her large fluffy tail covering her face. She did feel guilty though, she had lied to Honeykit and so did Buzzardkit, al least she believed that he did, and they had accused her of making thinks up when she had been right.

She sighed. Something had happened to Buzzardkit and she was sure that it was the same thing that had happened to her. Except, probably a different cat, She thought. He had acted completely differently to the news that the starry cat had told her. She had freaked out and was scared to death, but Buzzardkit was… happy. He most likely got different news than her and from a different cat.

But why her? That was what she wanted to know. Why had he chosen her? He told her that she was special and this was her destiny. But what was to become of her friends if she went along with his plans? And why choose a kit to do this?

She sighed. No matter how many questions she had their was only one question that she knew the answer to: Who was this mysterious cat with stars in his fur? It was the one and only Tigerstar, and if he was back and had summoned **her **then she was about to enter a world that she could not back out of.

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**Dun, Dun, DUNNNNNN... HE'S BACK! **


	6. Chapter 5

**okay so here is chapter 5. sorry about my chapters being so small, i've been busy with babysitting and such so my minds not always on my storys...**

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**Buzzardkit**

Buzzardkit watched his sisters sleep. His mind was on overdrive, and hurt from so much over thinking. It was his job to protect them because he was their big brother and kin although both of them, especially Nightkit, didn't always want to be protected. Also, how could he protect them while training to become a warrior, one of best according to Firestar. He still couldn't believe that Firestar had came to him. HIM of all cats! He was a kit for starclans sake. Why would the legendary Thunderclan leader come to him?

A loud shriek shook Buzzardkit out of his thoughts. He looked around the den. It wasn't his sisters or mother, it was the other queen in the nursery, Whiteleaf. By the look of it, she was having her kits now and a moon early. Berrystripe rushed in with Whiteleaf's mate, Steeltail, right behind him with a worried expression on his face. Buzzardkit shook his two sisters awake.

"What!" Honeykit hissed at him.

Buzzardkit sighed, "Whiteleaf is kitting now and Mother wants us to sit outside with Father"

Honeykit's eyes widened and jumped up in excitement. She thought of Whiteleaf kind of as a second mother because she always took care of them when Scarredfall was busy. Buzzardkit led his siblings out of the nursery and by Father.

Father was sitting just outside of the nursery, waiting for them. Buzzardkit looked just like him, except for the fact that he was smaller than him and didn't have his green eyes, instead he had his mothers yellow eyes, just like Nightkit. Father rounded them together with his tail and smiled. But Buzzardkit noticed that his smile was hallow, or fake. Like as if he didn't want to show concern. Buzzardkit passed it off as nothing, for now, and shook his head. This was a happy time. More kits for ScratchClan, and they were the deputy's kits, that was even better.

Once again, Buzzardkit's thoughts were interrupted, but this time they were interrupted by the soft mewling of newborn kits. The cats around him purred and Steeltail stepped out of the nursery, his head held high.

"Two toms," he announced proudly before anyone could ask him, "one white and one tortoiseshell" His oldest daughter, Mintwater, smiled proudly along with him as if they were her own. Next to her were Foxwhisker and Oceaneyes, who were from Steeltail and Whiteleaf's 2nd litter, were shaking in pure joy next to their kin.

"What are you going to name them?" someone asked behind Buzzardkit. He looked in back of him, it was Mallowbelly.

"The white ones name will be Icekit, and the tortoiseshell's name will be Sharpkit" The whole clan nodded, approving the names. Buzzardkit looked around at his clanmates. What would happen to his them if what Firestar had said was true? He didn't know the answer to that right now, all he knew was that he was going to protect them at whatever cost.

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**There you go! im workin on the next chapter now, but it probably wont be up till tomorrow**


	7. Chapter 6

**kk, heres the 6th chapter :) enjoy!**

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**Honeykit**

Honeykit waiting impatiently outside the nursery. She couldn't wait to see Whiteleaf's new kits, Icekit and Sharpkit. The new kits were completely distracting her from the fact that her sister and brother were lying and keeping secrets from her. But they were almost apprentices so Honeykitknewthat it was going to happen one way or another. She sighed, why did this have to be so difficult? These were the last few sunrises that she had left with her siblings before becoming the medicine cat apprentice, which she still could not believe that she was becoming. Honeykit looked behind her where Nightkit and Buzzardkit were huddling by Father.

Nightkit looked up at her, catching her staring. Honeykit turned back around and could tell that Nightkit was walking toward her.

"Hey, whats up," Nightkit whispered, her big fluffy tail on Honeykit's back.

"Nothing," she sighed, throwing Nightkit a unconvincing smile.

Nightkit cocked her head to the side, "somethings wrong, I know so"

"I'm fine!" she hissed, getting up and walking away from her sister. Why didn't she see that it wasn't her with the problem, it was her and Buzzardkit? She sighed again just as her mother came out of the nursery.

"Ready to meet the newest Scratchclan members?" she meowed, smiling at her three kits oblivious to the fact that all three of them were hiding something.

This brightened Honeykit's mood right up, she loved kits. They all followed Scarredfall into the den, and as soon as they entered they were met by a think milky smell and the sound of mewling kits. Honeykit smiled and looked down at the two little kits.

"They're beautiful," Nightkit purred next to her and she had to agree with her on that as she watched the young kits sleeping by their mother. Icekit was the smaller one of the two, but was so cute with his pure white fur and big blue eyes. Sharpkit was the bigger one and looked at bit tougher than his brother with his lean body under his tortoiseshell fur and flame-like golden-yellow eyes.

Buzzardkit crouched down next to the kits as they woke up. He chuckled as they tried to pounce on him, then yelped in pain as Sharpkit lived up to his name and dug his claws into his nose, making them bleed. Honeykit and Nightkit laughed and earned a angry glare from him. Scarredfall licked his nose and chuckled as well, but Buzzardkit didn't have the courage to throw her a glare.

Whiteleaf sighed and layed back down, her two little kits finally running away from Buzzardkit and back to their mother.

"Okay," Scarredfall sighed, "back to sleep"

Honeykit curled back up into her spot next to Nightkit, she loved sleeping next to her furry sister because then she never be cold. After that it didnt take long for to drift back into sleep...

_Honeykit opened her eyes to find herself alone in the dark. It must be night, she thought. She got up started to walk around trying to find out where she was, it didnt look like anywhere near the nursery or camp for that matter. She felt the wind whisper to her, but as she tryed listen something shook her and she woke up with a start._

Everynight Honeykit had the same dream, where the wind always tryed to warn her about something but everytime she tryed to figure out what it was saying, someone would wake her up. After a few sunrises, she started to get mad at the certain someone who kept waking her.

"Honeykit!" someone meowed, "Honeykit you have get up, today is the day we become apprentices!" The cat shook her again. Honeykit opened her eyes to find a big furry face in front of her.

"I'm up! I'm up!" she mewed. She felt her mother's tongue rasp over her fur and she groaned.

"I wont have my kits looking like badgers that have rolled in mouse bile, so just let me clean you okay" She hissed playfully. Honeykit couldnt help but roll her eyes at that.

After a few minutes of Scarredfall washing them, Lizardstar finally called the clan to meet.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the watching cliff for a clan meeting!" she yowled.

All three soon-to-be-apprentices ran out the nursery, leaving Scarredfall and their father, Copperstone behind them.

"Today three kits have reached six moons and are ready to become apprentices, and its even better because they are my grandkits. Buzzardkit, Nightkit, and Honeykit." She looked down at them, "Will you three train from this day on untill your mentor thinks your ready and become warriors?"

All three kits nodded and meowed, "Yes"

Her gaze landed on Buzzardkit then back to her clan, "Steeltail, you trained both Mintwater and Fawnstep very well and I know that you will train Buzzard**paw** just as well"

Buzzardpaw and Steeltail touched noses and Honeykit could see that he was bursting with happieness, just barly holding in his smile.

"Mintwater, Mallowbelly trained you well and you have proved to be a very experenced warrior, I know that you will train Night**paw** just as well as he did to you"

Honeykit watched Nightpaw and Mintwater touch noses, they both smiled. Mintwater was Scarredfall's best friend and now she got to train her best friend's daughter.

"Berrystripe, you have chosen Honey**paw **as your new medicine cat apprentice, and I hope that you will pass on all your knowledge from Dapplewing to Honeypaw"

Honeypaw boldly stepped forward and touched noses with Berrystripe.

_This is it,_she thought as the clan yowled, "Buzzardpaw, Nightpaw, Honeypaw!"

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**There, i hope you didnt think that i went through the events to fast, i just wanted to get to them being apprentices already. Whatcha think?**


	8. Chapter 7

**Sorry about it takin a bit longer than expected... I kinda forgot about this story (hangs head in shame)**

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**Buzzardpaw**

Buzzardpaw opened his eyes and smiled. He was in the the apprentices den. He was a apprentice, and not just any apprentice, he was the apprentice to Steeltail, the deputy. He looked around the den and saw that his sister, Nightpaw, wasn't there. Buzzardkit stood up, looking all around the den for her, then walked out of the den hoping to find her by the fresh kill pile or something. Just as he walked out of the den he bumped into Mintwater.

"Oh, hi Buzzardpaw," She cocked her head to the side, "have you seen Nightpaw? She was supposed to meet me at the Crooked Willow for hunting practice"

"Um, no I was actually just about to go look for her," He shook his head and watched her face turn from happy to worried. She brushed past him and headed straight for the medicine cats den, probably to ask Honeypaw if shes seen her. Buzzardpaw shook his head and walked over to Steeltail, who had just emerged from the warriors den.

"So what are we doing today?" He asked him, barely keeping excitement hidden.

"Well...," Steeltail started, obviously caught off guard. He probably forgot all about me because of the kits...

Buzzardpaw sighed at his pleading expression, "How about you go check on Icekit and Sharpkit while I-," He gulped, "go check if Berrystripe and Honeypaw need my help..." The last thing he needed was to be near his sister, they still hadn't made up from the fight they all had.

"Or you could go check if Dapplewing needs any help in the Elders den" Steeltail offered as he started to walk away.

Buzzardpaw nodded sadly, he couldn't believe that he was going to spend his first day as an apprentice cleaning the Elders den, while Mintwater had planned a hunting practice for Nightpaw, and she wasnt anywhere to be found. Buzzardpaw turned around and headed toward the Elders den but stopped as he heard someone say his sisters name in the warriors den.

"So do you think that Nightpaw's disappearance has anything to do with the other disappearances from the other clans, like Hawkpaw and Applepaw from Adderclan and Barkpelt from Midnightclan?" one voice, a she-cat's, asked. Buzzardpaw recognized that voice as Fawnleap, father's sister.

"Maybe, but we haven't found any badger, fox, or any other scent besides our own in ower territory, she could have just wandered off," the other voice meowed. Buzzardpaw found this voice harder to recognize but it was familiar.

"What if she's hurt," Fawnleap meowed, she had always been close to him and his siblings, they were kin after all.

"Well then we'll find her," the other voice meowed softly, then hissed, "and if she isn't hurt, shes going to be in a heap load of trouble,"Buzzardpaw suddenly reconized that voice, it was the same voice that had hissed at him when he was a kit and he had gotten in his way. It was Blackthorn. What was he doing comforting Fawnleap? Maybe the rumors about Fawnleap being Blackthorn's new mate weren't so unlikely after all...

"Nightpaw!" he heard Mintwater shout across the clearing, knocking him out of his thoughts. He ran toward the clearing where most of the clan was gathering.

"Where were you," Lizardstar hissed next to Mintwater.

"At the Crooked Willow," She meowed, but only Buzzardpaw noticed that she hesitated before answering. She set down a robin, "I brought this back"

Mintwater looked down at the robin then to Nightkit, "I haven't taught you how to hunt yet"

"I remembered watching Oceaneyes practicing to hunt, so I just repeated what she did," Nightpaw meowed, this time she didnt pause or hesitate.

"Oh," Mintwater and Lizardstar meowed, obviously not noticing that Nightpaw was lying, something that she was doing a lot more lately.

"Well she is Copperstone's kit, she probably got his natural hunting abilities," someone murmured in the crowed and everyone in the clan nodded, agreeing with that statement.

Buzzardpaw walked up to Nightpaw after the clan cleared out and whispered, "Nightpaw, tell me the tru-"

"Have you cleaned out the Elder's den yet?" Steeltail asked as he ran up to the two of them.

"No. I'll go right now," he sighed, he'd talk to Nightpaw later in the den. Buzzardpaw turned around and walked toward the Elder's den without a backwards glance at Nightpaw.


	9. Chapter 8

**Nightpaw**

Nightpaw watched her brother walk away toward the Elder's den. She waited for his to turn his head and glare at her or mouth 'see you later'. But he did none of that, he just kept on walking. That made Nightpaw wonder. How much did he know? Of the truth at least. Had Tigerstar talked to him too, or was Tigerstar not the only cat from the past come to help us... but Tigerstar didn't help others so why was he helping her. That was what she wanted to know. She set her robin down on the fresh kill pile and made her way back to Mintwater.

"So," Nightpaw started, "what are we going to do now?"

Mintwater looked at her with loving sky blue eyes that made Nightpaw feel bad for lying to her and making her look bad in front of the clan, but she shook that feeling off.

"Um, we are going back to the Crooked Willow to see what you can do," Mintwater answered, making Nightpaw wonder if Mintwater thought she had been faking it and wanted to prove that she was lying.

_Well, _Nightpaw thought,_ if that's what she thinks then I guess she'll be in for a mighty surprise. _

When Mintwater and Nightpaw finally got to the Crooked Willow a few minutes later, Nightpaw was right. Mintwater was very surprised. She watched Nightpaw hunt in amazement as she did things that Mintwater hadnt learned until her fourth moon of training.

"Very good," Mintwater praised, "But do you know any battle moves?" Nightpaw shook her head. Mintwater smiled at that, at least she got to train her on something. They spent the next few sunrises on battle moves, sense Nightpaw already had the hunting down. Nightpaw was very good at the battle moves, she learned quickly and mastered them overnight. That made Mintwater suspicious but she didn't say anything because she was getting all the credit and that was something that she had never gotten before.

Nightpaw watched her brother fall behind on his training because of Steeltail and Whiteleaf's new litter, but he didn't seem to care. He still learned new moves here and there.

Nightpaw didn't see Honeypaw very often though, she was always in the Medicine Cat den and she only saw her if she came out to get herbs. They still didn't apologize to Honeypaw, yet.

After another day of learning moves that she pretended not to know, nightpawfinally was able to go back to the Apprentices den to sleep.

"Hey," Buzzardpaw meowed once she entered the den. They said very few words to each other these days, mostly 'hi, 'hey', or 'goodbye'.

"Hey," she meowed back, laying down in her nest getting ready to sleep.

"You know that eventually someone besides me is going to catch on," Buzzardpaw whispered.

"I cover my tracks well," She meowed back then added, "and so do you."

"Wha-"

"I saw you practicing battle moves by the elder's den today, Steeltail hasn't even shown you those moves yet" She smiled, she had him cornered.

He huffed, "Just go to sleep Nightpaw"

She closed her eyes and instantly fell asleep. In the dream tigerstar came to her, like always did. Nightpaw looked around the dark forest and then at him. Broad shoulders and long claws, he reminded her of Hawkpaw from Adderclan, maybe he was a descendant of him.

"You are training well, and are almost ready but I must warn you that there is someone near you that will try and stop you," his voice boomed.

"Who?" Her voice seemed like a squeak compared to his.

"That I cannot tell you, but just be warned, not everyone is as they seem," He started to fade, and she was left alone in the dark forest.

* * *

**Dun, Dun, Dunnnnnn. So who do you think the cat is? Review!**


	10. ScratchClan Update

**A/N:** Quick little reminder on the clan at this stage if you need it.

* * *

**SCRATCHCLAN**

**LEADER** Lizardstar - dark brown she-cat with black ears.

**DEPUTY** Steeltail - gray tom with a darker tail.  
Apprentice, Buzzardpaw

**MEDICINE CAT** Berrystripe - cream-colored tabby tom.  
Apprentice, Honeypaw

**WARRIORS**

Mallowbelly - black tom with a white underbelly.

Blackthorn - black tom with a white throat and paws.

Mintwater - pale gray tabby she-cat.  
Apprentice, Nightpaw

Copperstone - reddish-brown tom with green eyes.

Fawnleap - brown she-cat with darker flecks.

Lightwhisker - very pale ginger tabby tom.

Oceaneyes - pretty dark brown tabby she-cat with big blue eyes.

Foxwhisker - pale brown tom with a white underbelly.

Scarredfall - black she-cat with many scars.

**APPRENTICES**

Buzzardpaw -reddish-brown tabby tom.

Nightpaw - long-furred black she-kit with yellow eyes.

Honeypaw - small pale ginger tabby she-kit.

**QUEENS**

Whiteleaf - white she-cat with a brown spot on half of her face. Is nursing her and Steeltail's third litter: Icekit(small white tom) and Sharpkit(tortoiseshell tom with big black patches).

**ELDERS**

Dapplewing - once pretty white she-cat with black patches.

* * *

The next chapter will come tonight... thursday at lastest... sorry about not posting in a while, school has started up again and... well, need I say more?


	11. Chapter 9

**A/N: I am SOOOOOOOOO sorry for this taking so long, I meant to get back to it but as soon as I did, anouther story came to my mind and wouldnt leave or school work had me busy. Thanks to my readers who have still held on and waited for this! :) Once again I'm soooo sorry and here is the... 9th chapter (Discluding the alliences).**

* * *

**Buzzardpaw**

_"Just be warned, Not everyone is as they seem"_

XxXxXx

Buzzardpaw's eyes fluttered open, slowly recognizing the shapes before him. The shapes were the tree stump that layed in the middle of the den, and his sister Nightpaw. He got up and stretched, his eyes never leaving Nighpaw's supposedly sleeping body. Nightkit flinched and clenched her jaw in her sleep, she was having a nightmare.

Pawing Nightpaw, Buzzardpaw meowed, "Nightpaw? Are you ok?"

Nightpaw stirred and open her eyes, shaking Buzzardpaw away like nothing had ever happened, "Yea, of course. Why wouldn't it be?" There was a hint of bitterness in her voice.

Buzzardpaw shook his head, "Its just a question Nightpaw, you don't have to so hostile."

Nightpaw bristled, making herself look bigger, and dung her claws into the ground, "I'm not being hostile your just being as stupid as a-"

"Is everything ok in here?" Mintwater stuck her head into the den, interrupting Nightpaw. Buzzardpaw and Nightpaw looked at each other and nodded their heads.

"Well... anyway, Nightpaw, come on time train," Nigthtpaw smiled and ran out of the den with Mintwater, leaving Buzzardpaw alone. He growled at himself for irritating Nightpaw. He was supposed to be trying to get along with her, they were litter mates for Starclan's sake! Buzzardpaw sighed and cleaned himself up before leaving the den, heading toward the nursery where no doubly his mentor was with his mate and kits, who had been born only a moon ago.

Buzzardpaw entered the nursery, quickly finding Steeltail and walking over to him.

"Steeltail?" Buzzardpaw asked as he walked over to the gray tomcat, "Can we train today?"

Steeltail looked up at Buzzardpaw from where he was laying and meowed, "Sure... What would you like to do?"

Buzzardpaw sighed, "Hunting I guess," He had already mastered many fighting skills but hardly any hunting skills, so he needed it.

"Okay then," Steeltail stood up and both of them exited the den.

xXxXx

"Like this Buzzardpaw," Steeltail demonstrated, once again, while Buzzardpaw watched attentively. Then Buzzardpaw tryed again, Steeltail shook his head.

"Let me try again," Buzzardpaw pleated.

Steeltail sighed, "One more time then we head to the Oak for battle training."

"K," Buzzardpaw steadied himself. _Hunch over a little more,_ a voice whispered, _put more weight on your back paws for a better pounce._

Buzzardpaw followed the voices directions and pounced, catching a robin. He held it up for Steeltail to see and grinned.

"Well done Buzzardpaw," Steeltail purred, "Lets take that back to camp."

Buzzardpaw followed Steeltail down the path. Halfway home, he saw a flash of red. Peering through a bush was Firestar, flame-colored pelt, green eyes, and all. He winked at Buzzardpaw and faded.

_Good job Buzzardpaw,_Firestar whispered, _your nearing closer to your journey... just remember, not everyone is the enemy._


End file.
